Chinese researchers unveiled a new flexible chip on Tuesday that could drive the next wave of innovation in wearable technology.

The breakthrough, detailed in a study published in the journal Nature, aims to enable more efficient, powerful computing directly on the body, such as on the skin.

It can also be integrated into fabrics, reducing reliance on distant data centres.

Most current wearables rely on rigid chips, which can be uncomfortable and limit functionality.

While flexible electronics exist, they often lack the processing power for tasks like real-time health tracking, forcing devices to send data to the cloud, a slow and energy-intensive process.

To overcome this, a research team from Tsinghua University created the FLEXI series of chips.

One of their key advantages lies in a “compute-in-memory” design that allows calculations to run in memory itself.

This approach will reduce energy use and boost speed, making it ideal for small, battery-powered wearable devices.

Developed using a low-temperature process on flexible plastic, FLEXI chips are thin, light, and cost less than $1 each.

They are also highly durable, withstanding more than 40,000 bending cycles while maintaining stable performance for over six months.

The chips achieve a clock frequency of up to 12.5 megahertz and a power consumption of just 2.52 milliwatts, according to the study.

In a real-world test, the team used a FLEXI chip to run a neural network that analysed heart rate, breathing, temperature, and skin moisture.

It identified daily activities with 97.4 per cent accuracy, demonstrating standalone health monitoring without phones or the cloud.

“Our FLEXI platform merges high performance, ultra-low power, and strong durability. It opens the door to a new class of wearable devices that are comfortable, long-lasting, and smart enough to process data on the spot,” said Ren Tianlin, a professor from Tsinghua University.

These advances lay a solid hardware foundation for the future of edge AI, paving the way for smarter, more autonomous devices in healthcare, smart clothing, and the Internet of Things, Ren added.

(Xinhua/NAN)